LIFTING THE TRAVEL WARNING FOR INDONESIA: MAKING

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000995 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR CA/ACS/OCS/EAP, EAP/MTS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/ITA/EAP and DS/DSS/OSAC Carrington DOJ FOR AAG SCHWARTZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC AEMR ASEC PREL AMGT ID SUBJECT: LIFTING THE TRAVEL WARNING FOR INDONESIA: MAKING OUR PUBLIC MESSAGE CONSISTENT REF: Jakarta 955 ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel, the Embassy would like to propose new language to Country Specific Information (CSI) and the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Crime and Safety Report. The suggested language is designed to ensure that the security language in all our public documents is consistent. We recommend that these changes become effective simultaneously with the lifting of the travel warning for Indonesia (possibly during the June 8- 9 visit of Attorney General Mukasey). ¶2. (SBU) DRAFT LANGUAGE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY SECTION OF THE COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION (CSI) COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION SAFETY AND SECURITY: Before October 2005, there were several terrorist attacks in Indonesia with the most recent occurring over two and a half years ago at a beachfront restaurant in Bali that resulted in the deaths of 20 people. Since 2005, the Indonesian police and security forces have disrupted a number of cells and arrested approximately 400 suspects linked with Jemaah Islamiyah (JI),a U.S. Department of State-designated terrorist organization. While Indonesia?s counterterrorism efforts have been impressive, the threat remains. As with most parts of the world, a terrorist attack could occur with little or no warning. We have to assume that JI networks and ?sleeper? cells remain intact and have the capacity to go operational with little warning. There remains a continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas including Indonesia. Extremists may target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas and locales where Americans or foreigners gather in large numbers. The Department of State urges Americans in Indonesia to avoid crowds, maintain a low profile, and be vigilant about security at all times. Americans are advised to monitor local news broadcasts, vary their routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of preventive security when visiting public places in Indonesia. Americans �0A;vacationing in Indonesia are advised to consider the level of preventive security when choosing hotels, restaurants, beaches, entertainment venues, and recreation sites. The U.S. Mission in Indonesia must approve U.S. government employees? travel to the province of Papua and travelers to that region must also obtain the approval of the Indonesia government. Even though other areas of Indonesia are not under any type of official U.S. government travel restriction, the U.S. Mission requests that official U.S. government employees inform the Regional Security Officer of their intent to travel to the provinces of Bandeh Aceh, Central Sulawesi and Maluku. American travelers and American residents are urged to update their passports and important personal papers in case it becomes necessary to depart Indonesia quickly. Travel distances, poor communications, and an inadequate health care infrastructure make it extremely difficult for the Embassy to respond to U.S. citizen emergencies. Many parts of Indonesia (including many tourist destinations) are isolated and difficult to reach or contact. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affair?s Internet site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution, can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1- 888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State?s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad, which can be found on-line at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/ safety_1747.html. ¶3. (SBU) DRAFT LANGUAGE FOR THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE SECTION OF THE OVERSEAS SAFETY ADVISORY COUNCIL (OSAC) CRIME AND SAFETY REPORT Political Violence According to the most recent Worldwide Caution issued by the State Department on January 17, 2008, there remains a ?continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas,? including Indonesia. Indonesia is an enormous and populous country with 240 million inhabitants spread out over an archipelago consisting of over 17,000 islands. Given its size and population, it is not surprising that there is always the potential for political violence and civil unrest due to ethnic, sectarian, religious, and separatist reasons. The security situation in Central Sulawesi is unsettled and remains an area where religious and ethnic violence is always possible. A small but persistent separatist movement in Papua is also an area of concern. The Maluku Islands, certain areas of Kalimantan and Bandeh Aceh, also have the potential for civil unrest and political violence due to ethnic, religious, and cultural reasons. Travel to those areas by embassy employees requires notifying the RSO. Indonesia has not had a major terrorist incident since October 2005. Past attacks in Jakarta and Bali are well known and the fact that there have been no major terrorist incidents during the past two years is impressive. Recently, the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP-13) on climate change was held in Bali. Thousands of delegates from all over the world and numerous world leaders descended on Bali for this important conference. A major concern was the threat of a terrorist attack. However, the Indonesian Security Forces, through extensive planning and dedication of resources, provided a safe and secure environment for an incident-free conference. Radical groups in Indonesia have had their ability to carry out large attacks further diminished during the past year due to the Indonesian government?s impressive counterterrorism efforts. The Indonesian National Police (INP) scored major successes in breaking up terrorist cells linked to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and other violent Islamic extremist organizations. The government of Indonesia (GOI) Attorney General?s office has also made some significant strides toward conducting more efficient and effective counterterrorism prosecutions despite weaknesses in Indonesia?s anti-terror laws. The newly-formed Attorney General?s Task Force on Terrorism and Transnational Crime took the leading role in handling the prosecutions of terrorists and won several convictions. Other Indonesian legal institutions also took a hard line against terrorists. The Supreme Court rejected two appeals of the three men on death row for carrying out the 2002 Bali bombings. These men will be executed sometime in the near future and the Embassy is closely monitoring what the reaction of the Indonesian public will be. Additionally, the court upheld the life sentence imposed on JI member Subur Sugiyarto. The Ministry of Law and Human Rights announced that convicted terrorists would no longer be given automatic sentence remissions on major holidays. The GOI also made progress to develop an effective anti-money laundering system for investigations and prosecutions and froze terrorist financial assets uncovered in investigations. While Indonesia?s counterterrorism efforts have been impressive, the threat remains. As with most parts of the world, a terrorist attack could occur with little or no warning. We have to assume that JI networks and ?sleeper? cells remain intact and have the capacity to go operational with little warning. Moreover, Malaysian JI operative and recruiter Noordin Mohammed Top remains at large, despite his suspected involvement in nearly every major terrorist attack in Indonesia since 2002. However, the Indonesian security forces have proven their ability to effectively counter the threat and are the main reason there has not been a successful terrorist attack in Indonesia since October of 2005. HEFFERN